Back to ultra training runs. Some hill but no heat training.

Back in the good ol' days, 10 to 15 years ago, I had run 12 to 14 ultras leading to Quicksilver, every year. Including Miwok 100K for the crazy back to back Miwok-Quicksilver-Ohlone. Granted, Quicksilver wasn't always a 100K, it was initially a 50-mile, until Western States required to extend it to 100K to remain a qualifier.

This year, I was at 3 ultras before this weekend. Feeling so behind albeit pleased to still be able to run at all after that meniscus injury last year. 2 were races (Jed Smith and MadCity) and a return to Black Mountain as a training run. At 29-31 miles, all barely qualifying as ultras per AJW (Andy Jones-Wilkins)...

I haven't run much hills this year; the 13,000 feet of elevation of Quicksilver 100K are going to hurt! It's kind of late to squeeze in hill training, and build the glutes back, but I went back to Black Mountain as a last resort. And it didn't disappoint, I walked a lot! As for the also much needed heat training, that was a complete miss, it was really chilly being in the cloud at the top, yikes!

I synched my start to get to the Stevens Creek Striders club meeting at the reservoir, my former club which I joined in 2003 and where I learned so much about ultra running. Time flies, there were only 3 people I knew, but it's great to see new blood in that club. And Tim and Adam set quite a strong pace at the front of the group!

(Photo credit: Nay Wei Soong)

I left the group at the end of Zinfandel, to continue straight on the steep Canyon Trail, that trail we'll run in September on the grueling Stevens Creek Reservoir Half. I stopped at the top to take a few GU Energy Chews and one S!Caps. On my way back toward the Stevens Creek Canyon Road, I crossed the group which was running that loop anti-clockwise.

Back to the road I turned left, toward Black Mountain. A few miles of asphalt, then back on Canyon Trail along the Stevens Creek. I climbed to the campground on the steeper Indian Creek Trail and down on Bella Vista Trail. I had never seen so many bikes on such a run, maybe 2 dozen total. And quite a few hikers despite the cool overcast weather. It reminded me of the beginning of the pandemic when crowds were flowing these trails!

As I mentioned above, quite some walking on the way up, but I kept pushing whenever I could albeit not too crazy to avoid any injury, one week before the race. I twisted my ankle only once, while jumping over the healthy-running creek at the transition between Palo Alto and Cupertino. I ended up with 33 miles at an average pace of 9:37, not counting numerous stops.

Speaking of creeks, they are all quite strong and, wonder, the reservoir is full! I read this week that the largest reservoir in California has also filled again, 3 years in a row. I hope they can divert back some of this water under ground where decades of intensive agriculture have depleted centuries of reserve.

Here is a Relive.cc flyover (click on image below or this link).

Since I ran slower on Saturday, I didn't cramp and wasn't too sore on Sunday. The biggest hurdle was a lot of chaffing on Saturday, I'd better pay more attention on race day in a week!

I've made a habit when I was healthy, to run the next race distance over 2 days, or 3 days for a 100-miler, a couple of weekends before the race, as ultimate preparation. My goal was then to run a 50K this Sunday, if I could manage. Yet, a flat one to preserve the knee. My classic route to the Palo Alto Baylands through Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Shoreline Park. This time it was sunny so at least I got to spend a few hours in the sun. But the breeze was still cooling the air. Since I left later though, I could get a bit of heat training between noon and 2, and my shirt got salty at least.

I was able to hold a 8 min/mile pace until mile 23 then I faltered a bit. Not counting fewer stops than yesterday, I ended up with 4:12:25 for the 50K, an 8:07 pace. Coros' feedback was that this run was excessive. Interestingly enough, it said the same yesterday but not this Sunday morning so, maybe, it acknowledge I had recover much faster than the prescribed 90+ hours...

We'll have to see on race day how hot it's going to be. At least we start early (4:30 am, duh!) so the morning should be fine.

That was a good test overall. Not feeling very confident about the uphills, and not even the downhills with the knee; I'll have to take it easy and accept to be slower, on a course I loved to hammer otherwise, a few years ago. Going for number 8, after last year's DNS. And I have a red eye for Boston just after the race so better finish not too late in the afternoon... Meanwhile, a well-deserved tapering week. Then the excitement for this Bay Area ultra tradition and party!

Silicon Valley serendipity: surprising Turkey Trot connection!

With the past two injuries I fell off my weekly blogging pace. This week I ran every day so more opportunities to share about the experience again. And this Sunday turned to something quite special.

Coach Rajeev can attest by the dozens of times we met along the local Union Pacific track, by pure serendipity, albeit some high chance back when we were both logging hundreds miles a month. It has been way too long I've seen him on that trail or at races. On my end, I've been absent from this trail for more than a year so it feels good to be back, first last January then this Sunday.

Initially I wanted to run to the top of Black Mountain and log at least 50K but I didn't feel the energy after 7 consecutive days of running, another first, post meniscus injury. I was going to run this 16-mile round trip route but, at the turnaround at Winchester, in front of Netflix' headquarters, I decided to explore further.

For 10 years I thought the track was getting into town and I didn't think of continuing further to see how long I could tag along. I couldn't stop thinking how beautiful a trail we could have along this track, instead of the messy mix of dust, rocks, branches, pine cones, that you have to navigate carefully. Yet, I was able to add 2 miles to the terminus of the lightrail line.

The other thing I'm realizing looking more closely to the map now, is who close of the Los Gatos Creek Trail I was, on Winchester. Just a mere block away, for many more miles of trails. We are so blessed in this Valley!

Back to the Winchester Station where I turned left: I passed a few buses and noticed an old lady on a bench. We exchanged a smile and I continued on Kennedy Avenue to the intersection with Winchester, where I stopped to check on the map and grab a few GU Energy chomps. That's where I heard what I though was "How long have you been running?" But, no, it was that lady asking me "How long have you been running it?" taking about my Turkey Trot tee. And... her Turkey Trot hat!

I replied "16 out of 20" and, to my surprise, she mentioned she had run it many times too, starting with the early editions when there was less than a thousand participants and she was even given a turkey at the finish! She showed me she was wearing one of the recent shirts, under several layers, and that she likes to still run it, when she gets sponsored with a free entry. She had sweet words for the very nice couple who created this event and tradition, Carl and Leslie Guardino. And we talked about Chris too, the Race Director.

When people say "small world" I add, "or rather, connected world!" Indeed, what a chance of me continuing on a new route today, as opposed to going to the top of Black Mountain? Of leaving home late at noon? What a chance of being at the precise time she was walking to the local theater for a senior-discounted movie show? Pure and sweet serendipity!

In other news, with all the rain we got this winter and spring, even last night, the pond near the Seven-Eleven at the intersection of the track and Pacifica, is full again. To the delight of wild geese, ducks and even seagulls (yikes, I feel I'm going to be schooled by Mr Patt on these generic bird names...).

At 7:54 for 20.3 miles, a slow pace for a flat run but still a good workout to keep rebuilding with a 73-mile week and 92 miles over 8 consecutive days. I'll take a rest day tomorrow then more build up in the hills before some tapering for Quicksilver. As for heat training, with the sub 50F mornings, that may have to wait for... race day, oops!